Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1081695
March/April 2019 I 27 equipment is installed once and remains in that place. However, in the industrial space, large power users, such as machines and supporting systems, can be moved, replaced, or added regularly. Machines and equipment may have their own transformer(s) for voltage adjustment and/or isolation protection. As these power components migrate around the facility, it is common that there will be differences in ground potential between these pieces of equipment and possibly the base building's power distribution system. These differences in potential move and change along with the equipment, and they can quickly introduce harmful levels of electrical noise into the communications infrastructure. In a perfect scenario, all grounding and bonding would be sufficient and remain intact such that this situation would not be a concern, but history denotes otherwise. In light of this, installers must also be keenly aware of this scenario when installing the infrastructure and may need to consult with the designer throughout a project to ensure the communication system's ultimate reliability. When considering that the infrastructure on a factory floor actually controls the product equipment and its inherent safety components, ICT infrastructure designers and installers should recognize the vital importance of their work. If the installed infrastructure is substandard and a machine or process malfunctions, a person's life may be at risk, high value product may be deemed scrap, or a production unit may lose thousands of dollars an hour until the issue is identified and resolved. This has a much greater impact than a user not receiving an email in a timely manner or not being able to connect to the internet for a brief time. The key to rolling out a successful industrial IP infrastructure project is to ensure that both the design and installation teams have sufficient knowledge and experience to both identify and mitigate the incumbent risks to the infrastructure within these varied and evolving intelligent environments, as well as adhering to applicable codes, standards, and best practices. Choose to learn and grow together! AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY: Luke Young, RCDD, is the general manager at Sam Young Electric, a design and installation company located in Ontario, Canada. His credentials include Construction & Maintenance Electrician (with Industrial Electronic Control) since 1995, an RCDD since 1998, and a Master Electrician since 2007. His extensive 20-year plus ICT experience includes managing a contracting business where he designed, quoted, and installed electrical power, control, and communications infrastructure systems. Luke can be reached at lyoung@samyoungelectric.com.